Dongting Immortal Clan

"This is the inventory of the Zhou family's remaining assets."

"There are 320 mu of farmland, of which 40 mu are considered auspicious fields; 1,200 mu of forest, which produce medicinal herbs and fine timber; and six ponds of various sizes, which can be used to raise fish and shrimp."

"There are three shops facing the street in Qingxi Town; and two residences, one of which is a villa outside the town, which I have renamed 'Qingchi Villa,' and the other is in the town, which is currently vacant..."

The hall fell silent again, with only heavy breathing remaining.

Three hundred and twenty mu of farmland, and one thousand two hundred mu of mountains!

These figures are astronomical for farmers and fishermen who struggle to survive their entire lives on a few acres of barren land and a rickety boat. Every word Chen Changhe speaks makes their hearts tremble.

Sitting to the left of Chen Xingye was Chen Baichuan, the eldest uncle who had been in charge of the clan's affairs for many years.

His fingers trembled almost imperceptibly. He picked up the teacup to drink, but found it was empty. He silently put it down, his throat dry, and said in a trembling voice:

"The Long River..."

"With such a large family business, how...how can you manage to take care of it all?"

"My father's energy is not what it used to be, and my two brothers are not at home. As my spiritual practice deepens, I really have no time to manage worldly affairs."

Chen Changhe spoke frankly, his gaze clear and upright as he looked at each of his relatives present.

"Therefore, we need to rely on the strength of our relatives, elders, brothers, nephews and nieces. The fields need people to cultivate them, the mountains need people to guard them, the ponds need people to watch them, and the shops need people to manage them."

"All these mundane affairs cannot be handled by me alone, nor by my family alone."

"I need manpower, reliable manpower!"

Chen Changhe paused briefly, allowing his words to resonate in everyone's minds, before continuing:

"In return..."

"I promise that all members of my Chen clan will be given priority in being examined to see if they possess the spiritual potential for cultivation."

"If one has decent aptitude and passes the test of character and temperament, one can be admitted to Qingchi Villa, where the true methods of cultivation will be taught, and one can follow me to cultivate the path of immortality."

……

"boom--!"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the previously quiet main hall!

"Cultivation...cultivation?!"

"Brother Changhe, are you saying that our kid also has a chance to become an immortal master?!"

"Really?"

"Can this statement be taken seriously?!"

Several young men in the back row were so excited that their faces turned red, and they suddenly stood up.

"quiet!"

Seventh Uncle Chen Xinglin slammed his cane down heavily, his voice booming like a bell, silencing the clamor in the hall. His gaze swept over the excited younger generation with lightning speed.

Then the focus returned to Chen Changhe, whose expression remained calm and composed, and he slowly said:

"The Long River".

"This matter is of great importance, concerning the rise and fall of the clan. Since you have this intention, the clan's strength should naturally be used for your benefit."

"However, the specific rules, personnel, responsibilities, expenses, and even the limits of the transmission of the cultivation methods all need to be carefully discussed and established."

"This is the proper way to guard against those with treacherous ambitions and to avoid damaging the bonds of kinship."

Chen Changhe met his seventh uncle's scrutinizing gaze and nodded slightly.

"Seventh Uncle is absolutely right."

"The reason I have invited all of you elders and brothers here today is to discuss this matter and establish rules to lay the foundation for the long-term prosperity of my Chen family."

Chen Xingye was the first to nod:

"This kid is methodical and responsible; he's not the kind of person who talks big without thinking. I agree."

The eldest uncle, Chen Baichuan, glanced back and forth between his cousin and this now unfamiliar nephew, slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and then nodded:

"In that case, let's do as Changhe says."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Over the next few days, Chen Changhe acted swiftly and decisively, clarifying and properly distributing the Zhou family's assets one by one.

The land totals 320 mu, of which 40 mu of spiritual land is the key.

He still entrusted this matter to his deceased third uncle's only son, his cousin Chen Baiye.

The other party had already been doing things for him, and was very skilled at it. He was also a true expert in farming, so Chen Changhe could rest assured in entrusting the spirit field to him.

Those 1,200 acres of mountain forest produce a variety of products.

This matter was entrusted to Chen Shoushan, the second son of his seventh uncle Chen Xinglin and his cousin.

Chen Shoushan is over fifty years old and has inherited some of his father's knowledge. He not only knows the types of trees in the mountains, but also has some knowledge of various medicinal herbs. He used to accompany his father on business trips in his early years, so he has some experience and is perfectly suited to manage the mountains and forests.

The pond was handed over to his uncle, Chen Dachun, for management.

Chen Dachun is Chen Chuansheng's cousin. He is in his early forties, a good swimmer, and an expert at raising fish.

Chen Changhe still remembers falling into the lake when he was a child, and it was this uncle who jumped in and pulled him out.

After much deliberation, Chen Changhe entrusted the management of those shops in town to his cousin, Chen Yushan, who was Chen Baichuan's eldest son. Chen Yushan was thirty-six years old, had attended a private school, and was well-liked.

This arrangement was specifically requested by Chen Chuansheng and Old Zhang.

The reason is quite simple: the uncles are all getting old, and the most prestigious one in the clan is Chen Baichuan, the eldest uncle.

Offering discounts on shops to them can both win people over and serve as a test.

If Chen Baichuan is insatiable, his family will know what's going on.

As for the matter of the local militia's protection, it was still under the overall command of Old Zhang.

Chen Yulong and Wang Xiaoman, two trusted relatives, each led a team, taking turns patrolling the area around Qingxi Town day and night to protect the local people.

After all the miscellaneous tasks were assigned, Chen Changhe summoned his cousin Chen Yupeng alone.

He is Chen Baiye's eldest son. Unlike his father, who was dull and taciturn, he is calm, meticulous, and extremely organized.

Chen Changhe entrusted him with an even more important task.

……

Inside the Qingchi Villa.

Chen Changhe summoned Chen Yupeng alone.

"These past few days you've been spreading rumors that my Chen family wants to pass on the immortal path and is recruiting eligible children from our clan and the surrounding villages of Qingxi Town to check whether they have the aptitude for cultivation. The area is tentatively set at a radius of twenty miles."

"Anyone between the ages of six and sixteen, regardless of gender, may come to Qingchi Villa for examination."

"Brother Changhe, are you going to personally select your disciples?"

Chen Yupeng was slightly surprised.

I guess so.

Chen Changhe looked out the window. Dusk was falling, and the outline of Qingchi Villa in the distance was faintly visible in the dim light.

"If the Chen family wants to last, it cannot rely on the current few people. It needs a trustworthy core group, preferably those with Chen family blood, who should be trained from childhood to be of one mind."

"Relatives and their descendants are ultimately more trustworthy than outsiders."

Chen Yupeng's heart skipped a beat, and he solemnly agreed:

"I understand, I will definitely handle this matter properly."

Chen Changhe nodded and said no more.

The night was as dark as water, seeping into the courtyard and quietly settling on his calm face.

He knew that from this day forward, the Chen family of Biyue would truly rise to prominence and officially come into the view of the cultivation world.

Five days later, Chen Yupeng delivered a list.

The list contains more than two hundred names, all of whom are members of the Chen clan of Baiyukou and children from surrounding villages, aged between six and twelve.

Chen Changhe looked at them one by one.

The writing on the paper was very neat; it was copied by Chen Yupeng stroke by stroke.

Each name is clearly labeled with its age, place of origin, and parents' names.

"Two hundred and thirty-seven."

Chen Yupeng stood to the side and whispered:

"Baiyukou Village itself has 68 villages, and the surrounding 13 villages have 169 villages."

Chen Changhe put down the list and nodded.

"Tomorrow morning, set up a platform in front of the ancestral hall and invite them all to come."